Dried Flowers
by Luth Lamb
Summary: Ann Marie isn't a name I often go by. It reminds me too much of the things I don't like to remember. WIP


Hello, this is the first story I've put on a public medium. Comments and constructive criticism is welcomed. This takes place not too long after the third X-Men movie.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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It was a hot summer morning, the sky overhead stretched far and wide like a clean ocean.

Compared to the sweet wetness of the east coast, the dry hot air here was a pleasant change. Tasting the parched top of my mouth and moistening my lips, I thought of my current situation.

Although I'd been living by bag and connections all over for about a year now,being back in the states was very homely. If not a bit uneasy. It was the sort of feeling I felt at airport security or customs when I was comin' back into the U.S. The need to hide, a tense feeling of caution. Like being on a constant witch hunt in no fun sense of the word.

_Ha ha, "Mutie-hunt"._

Although the whole idea of mutants was out-there, in the open. It was like a dirty laundry topic, something to be swept under the rug quickly.

_Not a wholly acceptable topic._

After the incident in California, there was a murmur, a whispered buzz about the genocidal cleansing. The fixing of many mutants. It was done in the matter of the 'cure' comin' out.

I did take the cure willingly but it was forced on some others as punishment. When I'd heard about what happened with Magneto, I thought it was a bit much for the X-men to do something like that; but then given with all that's happened.

Jean, Scott, and the Professor.

_We all have some kind of breaking point...dangling on fishin' twine I suppose._

When I came back to the institute, back to Bobby, with my cure and hopeful feelings, it wasn't what I'd expected.

No, not at all.

All the bitching and whining, crying' I did, are back behind me now. Back by the border in that journal I'd burned. Little flecks of ash an' sparks swirling in the wind, remindin me it's all back there now. Suffice to say that I wasn't wholly welcomed as a _'cured'_ mutant. Ah could deal with the snickering and back talk from the young 'lings, the lil' twitch glare one would have for someone they'd no longer respect; I could take that. But from the others my age, an' the teachers. That disappointed stare an' pity glance...I guess that was it.

Leaving was a blessing in ignorance.

_I remember the night I was set on leaving those gates once and right then, it was much like the night when Ah'd first arrived._

It was a full moon, an the fountain was a beckoning. It stood for acceptance and the waters seemed to hav' healing powers.

_Naive little girl standing right there..._

I was entranced by the waters, it wasn't murky or dim.

When the Professor was gone, we were all hurtin. I...I, remember being so angry.

"_Whose gonna help me now? Wher'e...what am ah supposed ta do..?" _I was so pissed, felt like screamin' or punching the walls till my knuckles bled. I wanted to touch someone, anyone. A kiss to blur out my thoughts and those I have within for a while. Jes' a little while.

Then I saw Bobby, my fellow, mah prince outside with Kitty, skatin. Hell, I just about blew my top till I thought-

_Tis just better to leave. Sure it's runnin, but then who will notice...Really who would? _

Ah thought about the cure and how badly ah wanted it._ "__IT__ would make it all ok. What else did I have anyway?"_

Maybe it really was it, the _Cure_; it'll stop the nightmares and violent reactions, kill that urge to just touch anyone. So I got my stuff, packed the essentials. A lighter from Cody, a flower pin from Bobby, my induction letter to the school from the Professor an a few clothes. The rest of mah stuff was mostly borrowed anyway, wasn't really mine then. I was hiking down the stairs on my way out when ah ran into Logan. I didn't expect him to stop me, he's not that kind of guy. I guess I wished he did or said something to make me stay.

The moonlight danced and sparkled on the waters. Sitting by the fountain, a damp breeze cooled the droplets on my shoulders.

_I wonder how nice it would be to become a statute here, like the professor. _

I didn't feel bad 'bout leaving, it'd be better for me. I'd mostly miss Logan, an I felt that stupid doubt that he'd miss me also. I felt him in the back of my head and wished he were here so I could just peck'm lightning fast and he'd woozily wish me luck or say something completely off guard. An I'd stand there looking at him like an idiot, before he'd smile.

In front of the mansion, the lush grass looked almost blue. The pale light bathed everything in its graces. I was half expecting to see faeries lything about. The persistent headache I'd had for a few days now swelled once more. Cringing a little with a last glance at the mansion, the garden, and the fountain.

I left.

I had some cash on me. Saved from not needing to buy fashionable clothes I'd openly shunned yet honestly wanted. I still couldn't afford the stylish clothes but on the plus side, vintage for me. _Yay, thrift stores, a hand washing board an I'm good. _

Since it was so late or too early, there weren't many people driving about. I'd taken a few naps that day so I was wide awake ready for walkin'.

"Ah need to get off this place, away out of this city. Country maybe..." I said to no one in particular.

Hiking the large olive duffel further on my shoulder, I set off to the oncoming side of traffic. For some strange reason I had a feeling that should the need to jump out of the way arrive. I could run and hide in the lush woods to my left, if need be. It made me feel uneasy that I thought like this. Walking, I remembered what the Professor said to me when I got there. I had my head hung so my hair drooped over my face and past my shoulders. Peeking through a few strands looking to a bald kind smiling man I wanted to laugh but instead felt tears sliding down my cheeks.

"My, my what an interesting girl you are." He smiled with a light in his eyes I'd seen only in new fathers.

After that whole thing with Sabertooth and being saved by the X-men. I didn't want to be away from Logan. In all that I'd encountered after leaving home and Cody behind, he was the only other mutant I'd met and trusted.

_Ha, I hardly knew him really. Quite ridiculous and incredibly naive on my part._

I liked his slip of tongue, his accent when I told him to buckle up. I really felt safe in his truck before he flew out the front window. I woke up in the medical ward after they'd saved us. Waking up in a random place was a first for me. An I wasn't even drunk! I just had a horrible headache an soreness all over.

Some woman was checkin my face for injuries and thought the worst of my state when I kept swatting her hands away.

_Sure, that's how it looks. Ah little girl with a big gruff man. A man that has metal claws poppin' out of his fists. Same man that survives a head-on car crash without a scratch...yea, think the worst._ _Aha ha, and now the girl won't let you, a fellow lady, touch her. She's covered all herself 'sept for her face, what to think._

"N-no non...don't. Don't touch mah skin."

_Hell and beyond, was my head poundin hard._

"You're fine. I'm not going to hurt you. My name is-" She pulled her hands back looking at me keenly, her head tilting sideways letting a strand of cherry red hair slide over her face. "Ah, so that's it.." she said under her breath while walking away. Just as she was moving out of sight, I felt a thumbing push on my head like someone was prying in my brain.

It stung some.

"Ahh...uhh wha-what're ya doin'?"

_Ow, ow. _The pain was building a little.

"It's okay, Ann Marie.." her voice came out clear in the darker part of the room.

"_I didn't tell you my name..." I thought with alarm. "Ugh, ah gotta find Logan."_

I wasn't restrained on the table so shifting a little, I got off. My legs were so heavy an' my body pulsed with fatigue all over. The room looked like something out of a sci-fi novel. It was large and vacant, dimly lit with the lights making that annoying buzz.

Ah stumbled around the table with the tools. Wobbling toward the door on unsteady legs, it automatically swooshed open when I neared it; showing even more florescent beams that made me cringe.

_So woozy._

I peered down both ways. The halls were chrome an' looking harder, there were other rooms with large circle openings. Staggering out with legs like lead, I decided to head right.

But before I could even move to the center of the hall I felt something hold me in place.

_My legs...the hell...they won't move! _

"What the hell?!"

In futile effort I threw my arms back and forth, putting my chest way out. I hoped my body would throw me off. _Fall, anything._But no, my legs remained firmly in place. In short I was going nowhere. After a string of southern profanities, I hear the lady like titter from behind. My aunt used to do that, it was annoying but for some reason, hers wasn't. I craned my neck at a pained angle and into view came a long legged mulberry red head, her color turning cherry once it hit the light. She didn't have any jewelry and little makeup but looked an elegant many women strove for with pounds of makeup. Her smile was welcoming but her medical coat made want to run.

"Hi Ann, I'm Jean. There's no need to be afraid."

"_If theres no reason to be scared, then why can't ah move..."_ I thought snorting in response.

She kept a sweet smile on her face when I felt that same sting on my head. I pulled my head back a little, eyes shutting some when I heard her voice almost like a lullaby.

"_Don't be afraid Ann Marie. Theres no one here to hurt you. You'll be fine. We just need to keep you and your friend here for a while..."_

I opened my eyes and stared at her but her lips weren't moving. Her eyes became intense an I instantly thought of Logan. _Ah hope he's safe.. Where'd they put him?_

"Oh Logan, he's fine. Resting." she smiled and I wondered why.

Somehow being able ta hear her and the fact that she knew Logan's name made me more agitated. I didn't like that idea of her near him or me for that matter.

"Let me go." I said evenly.

Jean's smile broadened and for a split second, she seemed to enjoy this. I didn't break eye contact until I felt that pained thumb that, this time, made me want to puke.

"Stop it.." I hissed.

"_Ah so you see...You're not the only 'special' one. You saw, from Cyclops and Storm. We're mutants Ann..."_

_You make me ill._ I couldn't help think it and finally my legs moved. I almost did a face plant but fell hard on my palms instead.

_Breathe, breathe_ _through the tight knot in my stomach._

Jean smelled like caramel and honeyed vanilla by the growing second. I was beginning to dislike her because I didn't know what was going on. She smiled again making me wince as she read my mind.

"Let me see him..." I grunted with a hallow stomach.

"You need something to eat first. C'mon, I know that you haven't eaten all day. Let me make you something nice and then we'll talk."

I didn't need to look up to know she was smiling.

I shuffled behind her as she went on about the Professor and the mansion what goes here, there, what their school does for people like 'us' and how it's good for everyone. I was tuning her in and out trying to remember where we were going. I heard something bout' X-Yen? Men? Before I concluded that I really didn't like her.

_Uhhh...Ah jest need ta eat somethin and find Logan and get otta here..._

"Oh you can't leave just yet; after some food we'll talk to the Professor and then decide what to do. Okay?"

Her twinkling eyes were making me seethe. Her heels made an echoing 'tak-tak' on the floors. I was breathing through my mouth because all I could smell was her. Chuckling she said, "Oh, lighten up. You're just grumpy from no food and being around a guff guy like Logan and-"

"Almost being killed?" I offered between clenched teeth.

_Your not even helping me...What kind of doctor are you?_

"Ah well, I was going to say being kidnapped but who really knows, right? And for your information, I wouldn't mind helping you if you weren't so angry and would try to touch me...Don't look so shocked, I know all about your little 'gift'."

I looked at her with surprise when we finally arrived to the kitchen. Rather than taking in the splendor of a chef's dream kitchen. I walked over to an open stool and unwrapped one of the sandwiches on the counter. I sniffed and licked the condiments before chowing down two more. I could hear Jean behind me taking things out of the cupboards when I made a few more sandwiches for Logan. When I stopped rummaging through the fridge and thought that the food could be poisoned, Jean really started laughing. I told her it wasn't funny when she told me to grab some fruit too.

It was then I realized I wasn't leaving any time soon. I needed to find Logan.

Jean was smiling again.

"Ah, told you to stop that...!" Then without thinking I threw an apple hard at her face. It connected quite nicely at corner of her left eye when she tried to dodge it. I felt a force shove me onto the fridge but saw her go down from the apple.

_Quickly, no time to think. No time, no time. _

Stumbling to the floor. I took off my glove and touched her jaw line. Counting one Mississippi seemed ta take forever and when I pulled back mah fingers. They were feelin like super glue was holdin mah hand to her skin, I was exspectin to see bits of her cheek there.

Slipping on my gloves, I didn't take my eyes off her until I saw that she was breathing.

_Thank goodness! Ah was right, a sec was enough to knock her out. Great...Now, uhhh. Ow. Ow._

She felt angry and giddy in my head. Battling for control, I felt a powerful headache that made me fall to my knees. My stomach was ready for the little food I ate to come back up. I squeezed my eyes painfully shut when I knew the kitchen appliances and anything else in the room was floating. The objects levitating then came crashin to the floor over and over again as I cradled myself.

Then all at once, Ah hear voices. People above, below, all around me murmuring, whisperin', shoutin', screamin'.

_Too much noise! Gotta leave..._

"_Theres nowhere to run little one" A voice said._

Looking up, I saw a man with ruby sunglasses and boyish hair standing in the door way. "Uhh...S-Scott" I heard myself say.

_Uh, ok, I have no idea who this guy is and why I'd like to run over and give him a bite on his smooth jaw. Tousle his hair and kiss his nice mouth._

He was looking past me toward Jean on the floor.

"Ahh..."_Shit, oh shit, oh shit._

"What did you do to Jean?" He said, glaring at me. An all at once, I knew his eyes were an incredible flamed red. I knew that if he took off his shades, he could well blow through a mountain.

_Crap, crap, crap._

"Ah...Ah just want to leave." I said meekly. Then, instead of cowering, my body flushed. He was blocking the only exit, an since I was definitely not gonna pull a Jackie Chan through some glass, this was the only way. I watched him for any movement, for any signal twitches. Swallowing a sticky gulp, ah knew ah had ta get outta here. Ah just needing to get a touch, a graze, slap, anything an I knew I'd be okay.

I walked slowly forward the way a frightened little girl would, quickly slipping off mah gloves.

"Please, please ah'm, ah just want to leave...Ah donno what y'all people are an' I-I...Just lemme leave...An ah'll never bother you people again..."

_Just'a few more steps..._

"Ah just want to go, I-I don't know who you people are or those that attacked us...Wh-Where's Logan?"

To my surprise, Scott smirked at the mention of Logan and said flatly, "I'm sorry but we can't let you or _**Wolverine**_ leave just yet. Now there is no reason for you to fear, you just need to be more patient." He smiled kindly at his reasonable words while I just looked at him like he was on the loony wagon swigging boom-shine preparing to moon someone.

_If he knew I was thinking, he woulda surely be takin off his shades._

Though he was looking at me when he spoke, from time to time his eyes would dart to Jean.

"_I don't even know how I knew that__." _I stood there waitin for him to make a move, almost angry that he hasn't gone to his beloved Jean. When he _finally_ took a few steps and was well within arms reach. He was a very handsome man but I still felt like decking him.

Putting up my hands in the universal 'I surrender' stance. I tried shuffling past but then stopped just as I thought he reached out to grab me._Pay-dirt._

"Sc-Scott, no...d-don't touch her..." Jean horsely croaked.

_Dammit!_

He immediately backed up, barely grazing my fingers. Not hesitating, I shoved him hard in the chest and took off running down the hall, out the front door. The alarm hummed on and I almost fell over stumbling back to punch in the code. I was so tired and light headed trying to run down the hallway, I almost didn't recognize the main door. My neck and back cracked a little from the force needed to push the large doors open.

_Ah thought these damned things were automated._

The sudden burst of cold wind surprised me so that I slipped to the floor and felt my ankle twist. Scrambling to my feet, blockin out the pain, I tried to hike it an run the dikens before the wind became abnormally intense.

The one called Storm flew over head, too far above for me to jump at. So I stood there.

"You caused quite a hissy fit here, little girl." she said coolly like coca steel. Semi-floating off the ground with white glassy eyes, she was ageless. Her skin a deep brown color with a touch of honey. Stopping and landing, her eyes cleared as they returned to normal. Her hair was so blissfully silver, it couldn't possibly be fake. Starting toward me, in a very boss woman strut, she halted in front of me and said, "Okay, understood Professor."

Then she just stood there and told me to remain calm.

_Okay, what's wrong with me? Do I look insane?_

I grunted harsh enough to hurt my throat. Mah eyes watered when I felt a fresh pain in my head that was so intense, my vision blurred.

"_Because Ann Marie, you've already incapacitated one of our members and disoriented another."_

_Ow...Ow-ow._ "Ah said Stop That!"

My head vibrated, trying to numb itself as I searched for the source. Another mind reader, a more powerful one. While I glazed my eyes about, Storm held a sympathetic look. She then pointed over mah head, back to the mansion. I looked to the second floor study with large windows. A fire place illuminated a man there wearing a suit sitting in a wheel chair. Even with the distance you could see there was something different about him. He hummed back into my head and apologized for what he had to do next.

_Some first impressions.._

I felt something squeeze, winced, then everything went black.

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So there...That's what I've done for now. This is the polished version- I had Emerald Cloud (a friend) beta this for me. Like a fish- gut and cleaned. Ah, I was reminded to thank 'em. So Thanks. Like I said- comments and stuff in that area are welcomed. Ok... 


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